POL00207914
POL00207914
From: Belinda Crowe[IMCEAEX-
O=MMS_OU=EXCHANGE+20ADMINISTRATIVE+20GROUP+20+28F Y DIBOHF23SPDLT+29
_CN=RECIPIENTS_CN=BELINDA+20CROWE79B93F 1 1-569F-4526-A078-
F5B4958A8917220@C72A47 ingest.local]
Sent: Wed 27/08/2014 3:58:27 PM (UTC)
To: Chris Aujard,
Ce: Belinda Crows
Lambert} GRO H
Subject: Update for the Board?
Chris, do you want to update the Board just in case the Second Sight report or our response to it becomes public?
Below is a slightly amended version of a note I drafted for the Board on Friday evening as that we had something
ready should it be needed. I had started with quite a detailed note but Alwen suggested that it should be shorter and
simpler — the thrust of which was, this has happened, we are managing it.
Copying Gavin as an update on where we are.
Best wishes
Belinda
Just a note to update you. We are now entering a challenging time with Second Sight and the mediation scheme,
which was expected. The most recent issue is a thematic report which the Working Group agreed Second Sight should
produce. This report seeks to highlight common themes raised by applicants to be used as a reference for individual
cases, enabling Second Sight to produce short, focussed case reports for each applicant, cross referenced to the
thematic report. The usefulness of this report for applicants, Post Office and mediators depends on it being accurate
and of a high quality. However, the final report is, in our view, inaccurate in important areas, contains no clear
statement of the evidence upon which many of the opinions expressed in the report are based, and that it includes
matters which are beyond the scope of the Scheme and/or Second Sight’s professional expertise as forensic
accountants.
Sir Anthony Hooper, despite our attempts to delay the issue of the report until the Working Group had an opportunity
to discuss it (with a view to improving it), he decided that the report should be issued to those applicants and advisors
whose cases, in the opinion of Second Sight, are referenced to the content of the report. Consequently the report was
sent to nine applicants and their advisors yesterday, although this number will increase as second Sight produce more
reports). Today Post Office has written to the recipients of the Report to advise them that the report is not endorsed
by Post Office for the reasons stated above and that we will provide our own detailed report shortly. We are working
across all business areas and with Fujitsu to pull that together as quickly as possible.
There is a possibility the report and/or our letter may be leaked. So this email is to alert you to that possibility and
reassure you Mark and his team have the reactive lines if necessary. Our hope is that you will see nothing. The report
and our letter are marked confidential but we are, nevertheless, prepared for this to become public. However, we
have taken the view that it is important for applicants to be aware of Post Office’s position at the earliest stage to help
manage expectations and also that we put a clear marker down for Second Sight and JFSA in terms of the scope of the
Scheme (that is, that it was not designed for applicants to raise wide ranging complaints regardless of whether they
are Horizon related).
If you would like any more information please let us know.
Cheers
Chris
POL00207914
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Belinda Crowe
148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ
Postline!_